Political Insider: Brewer gets unusual nod from wrestler

Mar. 31, 2012 09:16 PMThe Republic | azcentral.com

Lucha Brewer... Apparently Gov. Jan Brewer has a fake son, a wrestler in the Mexican-style lucha libre, who has adopted the name RJ Brewer and is a character on MTV 2's Lucha Libre USA: Masked Warriors show. As part of his character, he supports Arizona's immigration law Senate Bill 1070 and hates illegal immigrants.

His "bio" on the show's website doesn't mention the governor by name, but states that the wrestler's "mother is one of the highest-ranking officials in the nation and holds great power and influence over the state of Arizona." It goes on to say that he has "spent time traveling the state in support of the 'Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act' a.k.a. Arizona SB 1070 along with his mother. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering with the Border Patrol with his pitbull 'Visa.' "

Hmm, wonder if mama Brewer is considering putting this kid in timeout. Her office declined comment.

All aboard for an override ... A member of the state Parks Board is calling for an override of Brewer's veto of the parks-funding bill.

Larry Landry, speaking at an awards ceremony for state parks volunteers, urged them to call their lawmakers and thank them for their overwhelming support for House Bill 2362 (it passed with 50 out of 60 votes in the House and unanimously in the Senate).

"And if you're so inclined, tell these legislators to override this veto," Landry said as he recalled his rallying cry. He emphasized he was speaking for himself, not for the board.

The GOP-controlled Legislature has a veto-proof majority, but it has not flexed that political muscle. Yet.

Will, you're just encouraging them! ... Leave it to the state health director to show us what democracy looks like. Fellow public servants, are you paying attention?

In his weekly blog, Department of Health Services Director Will Humble praised licensed midwives for rattling cages with a December protest in front of the agency's headquarters. About 100 marchers with placards urged the department to ease regulations for people who want to help Arizona women deliver their babies at home.

Turns out Humble and one of his staffers met with midwives that same day, and so began the process to revise the state's licensing regulations. Midwives, their reps and the agency wrote a bill and worked it through the Legislature. Gov. Brewer signed it Wednesday, setting new rule-making in motion and creating a committee to review what licensed midwives are allowed to do.

"It just goes to show you that the democratic process works," Humble wrote. "That ordinary folks ... can get together, organize and petition their government and elected officials to get things done."

Indeed. But it sure helps when you have a top bureaucrat who's willing to listen.